A prime piece of Jacksonville waterfront might be getting redeveloped.

According to city officials, the owner of Fisherman’s Wharf on Marine Boulevard has agreed to demolish the property. Jacksonville City Manager Richard Woodruff announced Tuesday night that owner George Venters is getting bids on the property at 100 S. Marine Blvd.

According to Woodruff, the city and Venters have been in talks for over a year, but since the property was used as a laydown site for repairs of Buddy Phillips Bridge, the process had to be delayed until the repairs ended. As construction came to an end in August, Woodruff said officials from the city and state worked together to figure out the particulars, including grandfathering certain regulatory rights he might lose if he tore the building down before having a redevelopment plan in place, including losing square footage that was exposed to rain water after the building is demolished and possible loss of docking space.

According to Woodruff, Venters is looking for bids to demolish the building.

“(Ventors) has been very cooperative through this process,’ Woodruff said. “Now, he can tear down the building without worrying about losing a lot of the rights he still enjoys on the property.”

Woodruff said the city hopes the property will be used for mixed use development, which would include restaurants, shopping facilities and hotels. He said, though, that the city is leaving it up to the private sector to make it happen.

“The city believes it needs to stay in the hands of private developers to expand the tax base and bring additional opportunities to the marketplace,” Woodruff said.

Venters told The Daily News he did not have any comment on the upcoming demolition.

According to Woodruff, the property could be demolished within 60 to 90 days. However, according to city staff there is not a demolition permit on file.

The property has been owned by Venters Holding Company since March 5, 1973, and has a tax value of $690,310, according to information from Onslow County.

The business license for the Fisherman’s Wharf restaurant has not been active since 2004, according to the City of Jacksonville. Its doors have been closed since August 2004.

Fisherman’s Wharf — built in the mid-1970s by Edward and Joseph Bynum, according to the Onslow County Museum — holds fond memories for some longtime, local residents, including retired Wildlife Enforcement Officer Paul Metters, who said the Wharf was a place for people to get together, swap stories and talk about whatever came to mind.

“Everyone felt welcome,” Metters said. “There was no head shaking or eye rolling.”

That sentiment was shared by Judge Charles Henry, who has called Jacksonville home since 1975 and had a ceremony at the restaurant when he was sworn in as judge.

Page 2 of 2 - “It had a great atmosphere,” said Henry. “It was always causal and friendly.”

Both Metters and Henry said that it was time for the building to go, though, and said they hoped it would be converted into something that would improve downtown’s image.

“It has deteriorated to the point where it can’t be improved,” Henry said. “I think it would be a great location for a restaurant or small hotel.”

“I’m not one to stand in the way of something that needs to be done,” Metters said. “I hope it will be a low-key place ... something that looks like a fisherman can go there and get a meal.”

Amanda Hickey is the government reporter at The Daily News. She can be reached at amanda.hickey@jdnews.com. Christopher Thomas is available at 910-219-8473 or Christopher.Thomas@JDNews.com.